Cassel Sharpe

Cassel is the main character of the novel, and the story is told from his point of view. Cassel is a seventeen year old boy who attends Wallingford Preparatory, a boarding school for the rich elite children of New Jersey. Cassel's father died in a car crash, and his mother is in prison. He has two brothers named Philip and Barron, who can barely afford the fees to send him to boarding school, but do not particularly want to look after him themselves. Cassel therefore has a lot less spending money than his schoolmates, which has led him to set up an illicit betting business.

At the beginning of the story, Cassel is a very isolated and lonely figure. He has no real friends at school and is tolerated as the pupils' bookie but not actually liked. Many of the kids there are wary or even scared...